Job Description

Action Contre la Faim is an International Humanitarian Organization established in 1979 with the mission to save lives by combating hunger through prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition, in particular during and after emergency situations caused by conflict and natural disasters. Action Contre la Faim provides coordinated responses in nearly 50 countries including Yemen globally within 7 field of expertise which includes Nutrition and Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Food Security, Mental Health Care Practices, Gender and Protection, Advocacy, Risk and Disaster Management and Research.
ACF has been operational in Yemen since 2012 and is operational in 4 bases (Aden, Hodeida, Al khokha and Sanaa). The mission implements its activities which are centred on 3 sectors, Nutrition and Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Mental Health and Psychosocial Support and Protection (MHPSS-P).

For more information please visit our website. https://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/en/missions/yemen/

Job Title:  FSL Head of Department
Location:  Aden
Contract duration: 6 months to 1 year
Basic monthly salary (taxable): 2803$ to 3349$ based on experience salary calculation (excluding other benefits offered by the organization)
Direct Line Manager: Deputy CD programs

Position Summary

To develop and scale up, and guarantee the quality and relevance of the ACF FSL strategy and programmes in Yemen in conformity with ACF and international standards and national policies.

Mission1: Contribute to defining the country strategy as well as the strategy and positioning of the FSL technical department 

The FSL HoD is responsible for:

• the understanding by the field teams of the humanitarian situation regarding FSL and of the context of intervention, and its continuous, systematic and thorough monitoring
• the analysis of the FSL humanitarian situation at Yemen level
• the dissemination of information gathered and analyzed both internally and externally, including headquarters
• the production and the quality of the mission sectoral strategy document in line with Action Against Hunger international and national frameworks
• his/her contribution to the mission strategy and the Action Against Hunger sectoral strategy
• taking account of DRM in FSL strategy and projects, including participation in drafting the plan to prepare for and respond to emergencies
• integrating the FSL sector with the other technical sectors (WASH, NUT/HEALTH and MHCP)
• monitoring the implementation of the FSL mission strategy, its revision and its cost effectiveness  
• contributing to the technical and operational advocacy strategies of the mission, the region and headquarters (in line with the advocacy objectives defined in the ACF reference documentation)
• identifying the subjects for sectoral advocacy specific to the mission, in collaboration with the Deputy Country Director - Programmes

Examples of tasks:

• Monitoring of general indicators
• Ensuring that Action Against Hunger 's key FSL indicators are adhered to and analyzed in his/her zone of intervention
• Adopting the technical strategies and positions produced by headquarters
• Writing up the FSL sections of the mission strategy
• Sharing the strategy and ensuring its consistency with those of other sectors
• Sharing the mission strategy with and explaining it to all the teams within the FSL Department
• Ensuring that international, national and Action Against Hunger  documentation is available at the mission, mastering its content and sharing it with the FSL teams
• Planning internal evaluations of adherence to international standards
• Organizing the contingency planning workshop for FSL and taking part in consolidation meetings at mission level
• Coordinating with the other HoDs in order to ensure the greatest impact of projects by means of integration  
• Ensuring that the seasonal calendar is produced by the Program Managers in each of the zones of intervention
• Defining and steering through the compilation of strategy monitoring indicators
• Collecting data on the humanitarian situation and the FSL sector, formatting them and transmitting them to the appropriate channels (Deputy Country Director, Region, Technical Advisors at Headquarters)
• Proposing subjects for FSL technical advocacy for the mission
• Writing up or consolidating reports on chosen subjects in consultation with the Deputy Country Director
• Defining a plan for the diffusion of sectoral advocacy for the mission
• Interacting with the sectoral coordinating body on the dominant subjects for FSL advocacy

Mission 2: Coordinate the identification of needs and formulation of project proposals

The FSL HoD is responsible for:

• Coordinating the identification of FSL humanitarian needs
• Formulating, financing and implementing the feasibility study of FSL projects (public health, technical, socio-economic, cultural and environmental aspects)
• Contributing to the search for funding bodies for his/her sector and ensuring that there is an exchange of technical information with the funding bodies identified (in collaboration with the Deputy Country Director)
• Participating in visits by funding agencies whenever requested by the Deputy Country Director (or the Field Coordinator)
• Producing the FSL sections of project proposals in accordance with the formats and deadlines of funding bodies

Examples of tasks:

• Defining, coordinating and carrying through the assessments of FSL needs in the project and closely related areas
• Coordinating and/or writing up reports of the assessment of needs and feasibility, and proposals to funding agencies
• Consulting the Logistic and Finance HoDs concerning project proposals
• Meeting and/or accompanying the Deputy Country Director with the sectoral funding bodies
• Consolidating or writing up the FSL parts of project proposals
• Validating the FSL project proposals submitted by the mission
• Establishing and updating the portfolio of funding agencies  
• Accompanying funding agencies on field visits at the request of the Deputy Country Director

Mission 3: Technically oversee the implementation of programs/projects 

The FSL HoD is responsible for:

• Validation of the key stages and the methodologies of the projects being undertaken (timetable, KAP survey (baseline/final) systematics, technical studies, call for tender, specifications, community approach, external evaluations...)
• Providing technical support (direct and remote) to the PM, whilst alerting or sharing information with the Field Coordinator
• Ensuring that systems of monitoring and evaluation are in place and that their results are integrated to guarantee the improvement of the projects with the support of the MEAL department
• Timely validation of the FSL parts of internal reports and reports to funding agencies, as well as amendments to projects, with contributions by the teams

Examples of tasks:

• Validation of the methodologies and the documentation produced by PM
• Regular visits to projects and functional interaction with PM
• Training field teams in matters of monitoring and evaluation, and in the measurement and compilation of indicators
• Supporting the Field Coordinator in APR monitoring (quantitative and narrative), enter returns on technical matters and flag up dysfunctions uncovered
• Proposing action plans and solutions to ensure the good execution of the programs
• Ensuring that the narrative sections in the technical parts of reports to funding agencies are written up correctly by PM, validating them and ensuring their coherence
• Consolidating the technical parts of the reports to funding agencies before submission
• Seeking the technical support of the Technical Advisor at Headquarters on an ad hoc basis (tools, methodology, and innovations, sharing experience....)
• Preparing missions to evaluate needs and projects (TOR, recruitment of experts, briefings)

Mission 4: Ensure quality and cost-effectiveness of FSL intervention at country level

The FSL HoD is responsible for:

• The technical conformity of programs with international rules, orientations and technical standards, and the Action Against Hunger  framework documents and technical works
• Boosting the overall standard of implementation of projects in order to maximize their impact (cf CAD criteria of OECD)
• Ensuring, by use of Action Against Hunger  specific monitoring (project  quality, field visits, external audit…), that norms (SPHERE and WHO), and national and international standards of technical quality are respected
• Issuing and following up technical recommendations
• Alerting the Deputy Country Director and the Technical Advisor at Headquarters to all major difficulties encountered in applying necessary recommendations and/or adaptations
• Alerting the Deputy Country Director and asking that precautionary measures be taken in the case of major risks to public health
• Promoting external and internal evaluations of projects, in line with Action Against Hunger  evaluation policy  
• Promoting transparency and ethical standards in the projects by highlighting complaints/grievance procedures, particularly in respect of the beneficiary population  
• Promoting safety measures for both staff and the wider population in the implementation of FSL projects (work sites), in collaboration with the PM and the Logistics Department

Examples of tasks:

• Checking the technical adequacy of the projects with reference to internal framework documents and sectoral technical literature
• Checking conformity with standards (SPHERE, WHO, national..)
• Arranging field visits and producing reports containing technical and operational recommendations
• Feeding internal and external recommendations into the mission quality project
• Seeking the technical support of the FSL Advisor  at Headquarters on an ad hoc basis (tools, methodology, innovation, sharing of experience, or flagging up missing competences in technical areas ...)
• Producing terms of reference for visits by FSL Advisors and internal assessors
• Familiarizing him/herself with precautionary principles the “Do No Harm” approach and implementing it or recommending its implementation to decision-makers in the projects
• Judiciously including external evaluations of projects in submissions
• Preparing external project evaluation visits  (along the lines of Action Against Hunger -UK terms of reference, recruitment of experts where necessary, briefing and accompaniment on field visits)
• Validating the recommendations made by evaluators and translating them into good practice in the projects
• Ensuring that project proposals include complaints  mechanisms and training the teams to adopt this participative methodology 
• Defining the necessary measures of protection and safety on FSL work sites (protection of teams, equipment and the wider population)
• Monitoring compliance with the rules established during site visits

Mission 5: Ensure the active participation of Action Against Hunger  in national sectoral coordination and technical forums and develop sectoral partnerships

The FSL HoD is responsible for:

• Representing Action Against Hunger in sectoral coordination at national and sub-national levels (sectoral and/or cluster) and with the technical authorities
• The Action Against Hunger  contribution to the various action plans in the FSL sector (Consolidated Appeal Process, Flash Appeal, Inter-Agency Contingency Plan, HFA, national sectoral strategy  etc)
• Technical communications concerning the FSL projects in liaison with the Deputy Country Director/Field Coordinator)
• Promoting sectoral partnerships (civil society, NGOs, authorities, private sector.. .) and the enhancement of their capacities

Examples of tasks :

• Forming close relationships with the coordination forums, participating in coordination meetings and strategic working parties and passing information both upwards and downwards
• Familiarizing him/herself with Cluster procedures and training members of the mission in them
• If possible, establishing Action Against Hunger as joint leader of the FSL cluster at national and local levels
• Participating in the writing up of documents dealing with the financing of humanitarian action (eg CAP, Flash Appeal etc) and with national strategies
• Getting to know and meeting with key actors in FSL sectors at national level (authorities, ministers, UN organizations etc) in order to secure Action Against Hunger 's place as a recognized and influential actor in the field
• Organizing workshops and training programs targeting sectoral partners
• Identifying and promoting partnerships with local partners (national NGOs in particular)
• Taking part in the development of operational partnerships in line with the Action Against Hunger partnership policy

Mission 6: Team management

The FSL HoD is responsible for:

• the functional and/or hierarchical management of FSL personnel 
• evaluation of the technical performance of all FSL teams (PM, Deputy Head of Department, Specialists)
• developing FSL competences throughout the mission

Examples of tasks:

• Taking part in the recruitment of national PM or involvement in the selection of expatriates (defining profiles, interviews and/or complementary tests, technical competence for the project)
• Contributing to the technical aspects of editing HR appeals for expatriates (job description, technical criteria of recruitment, action plan)
• Ensuring that an FSL Department action plan is produced and followed through
• Contributing to and following through individual action plans for the FSL Department  
• Taking part in staff development interviews with both professional and administrative team members; identifying technical training needs of national teams and expatriates, in collaboration with the HR HoD
• Identifying possible technical training resources at local and regional levels in collaboration with the HR HoD
• Providing technical support to the teams (creating training programs, spreading good practice....)
• Seeking technical support from headquarters to reinforce his/her skills and/or those of the teams
   

Mission 7: Promote capitalization, technical development and research within the FSL Department

The FSL HoD is responsible for:

• Capitalizing within the FSL sector at the level of the mission, consolidation and transmission to headquarters (technical developments, pilot projects, innovative or little documented approaches, operational approaches which may serve as a reference for the Action Against Hunger  network, successes and failures, contextual analyses etc)
• Supervising of the task of capitalization undertaken by PM and the FSL Department
• Sharing experience with actors in the FSL sector at country and regional levels
• Maintaining continuity in respect of the FSL expertise and the history of the mission
• Applying new approaches proposed by Headquarters or at mission level
• Reporting to Deputy Country Director and Headquarters on technical development and research requirements and on the implementation of projects (notably  in response to calls for internal Action Against Hunger research projects)
• Setting up research projects
• Exploring the modalities of scientific and technical partnerships (laboratories, universities, private sector)
• Developing technical skills in line with the evolution of the sector

Examples of tasks:

• Inserting the work undertaken by ACF into the national data base, shared by the accrediting authorities
• Encouraging the FSL teams to write up their experiences
• Approving capitalization documents, finalizing them and submitting them to Headquarters
• Distributing relevant documents throughout the FSL networks at country and regional levels
• Identifying areas/needs for technical research and development
• Writing up self-funded projects in response to calls from Headquarters
• Coordinating funded research projects
• Supervising and documenting innovations introduced by projects
• Identifying research partners where relevant (universities, for example)  
• Taking part in seminars and colloquia at national and international levels with a view to improving practice in the mission
• Organizing departmental meetings on the technical constraints affecting the projects, discussing them with Technical Advisor at Headquarters and formulating recommendations  
• Writing up and submitting a handover report together with a CD of photographs at the end of the mission
• Ensuring that each expatriate PM documents his/her experience in the form of a technical handover/end of mission report (in addition to any reports required by funding bodies)

HR Recruitment  criteria: 

Education: Master’s degree or equivalent in agriculture or social sciences or related field. 

Type of professional experience requested: 

• At least 5 years of field experience with humanitarian NGO in FSL sector (candidates with less than 5 years of experience will not be considered).
• At least 2 to 3 years of experience in the same or similar positions.
• Experience working in developing and urban contexts
• Experience working on the Syrian crisis, Middle East, (preferable, but not mandatory) 
• ACF experience preferable but not mandatory.

Language + level: English (proficient) / Arabic a plus

Technical Recruitment criteria: 

• Experience in cash for work, agricultural and cash distribution programmes
• Experience in agricultural project
• Experience in working with private sector, social entrepreneurship, SMEs (desired) 
• Substantial knowledge regarding programme management in the field
• Knowledge of standard logistics, financial and HR procedures and practices
• Strong computer and communication equipment skills
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, prioritizing and communication skills
• High capacity of work, able to overcome stress and work under pressure, with high degree of flexibility
• Autonomous, organized and self-motivated
• Diplomatic and tactful, professional and transparent

Ability to train and deliver technical support

Safeguarding Commitments

Action Contre La Faim has a zero tolerance to all forms of violations of Child and Adult Safeguarding, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and the Code of Conduct by staff. In the process of recruitment, selection and appointment ACF implements a range of procedures and actions to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded and abuse is prevented.

Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information;
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance;
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status;
• Value and respect all cultures.